


New Beginnings

by fangirlingtodeath513



Series: Season 13 Codas [17]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Apocalypse World Michael (mentioned), Dean Winchester Has Panic Attacks, Episode: s13e18 Bring 'em Back Alive, Episode: s13e18 Coda, Eventual Happy Ending, M/M, Panic Attacks, Post-Episode: s13e18 Bring 'em Back Alive, Post-Episode: s13e18 Coda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 16:42:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14406237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirlingtodeath513/pseuds/fangirlingtodeath513
Summary: Castiel speaks softly. Gently. Like he’s talking to a scared kitten. “Dean… wewillfind Gabriel. We will.”“We better.” Dean manages, just barely, before fleeing from the room, his legs carrying him all the way down the hallway to his bedroom. He can feel the panic setting in: the hairs on the back of his neck prickling, the sweat pooling just beneath the collar of his shirt, the sound of his heart beating in his ears.





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> [rebloggable link here](https://fangirlingtodeath513.tumblr.com/post/173218276334/new-beginnings-a-13x18-coda-read-here-on-ao3)

Castiel speaks softly. Gently. Like he’s talking to a scared kitten. “Dean… we _will_ find Gabriel. We will.”

 

“We better.” Dean manages, just barely, before fleeing from the room, his legs carrying him all the way down the hallway to his bedroom. He can feel the panic setting in: the hairs on the back of his neck prickling, the sweat pooling just beneath the collar of his shirt, the sound of his heart beating in his ears. He kicks the door shuts and drops his bag unceremoniously on the floor in front of it, stumbling to the bed and dropping onto it, putting his head in his hands. He squeezes his eyes shut tight, but all he can see is Sam’s flinch and the disappointment evident on Cas’s face on a loop, like his mind is intent on torturing him with just how much he’s failed what remains of his family.

 

A gentle knock on the door startles him out of his self-pity spiral, and he manages a shaky, “Come in.”

 

Castiel steps inside, the dull drag of canvas and guns across concrete making Dean wince. The door clicks shut a moment later and the mattress dips as Castiel takes a seat next to him.

 

“I’m fine, Cas.” The angel doesn’t answer, but Dean can practically _feel_ the eye roll in response. “I’m serious.”

 

“I don’t know why you insist on saying you’re fine when you’re very obviously not.” One of Cas’s hands settles between his shoulder blades, his thumb rubbing Dean’s skin through his clothes, and he stays that way until Dean’s breathing has returned to normal. Neither of them has commented on it, but Cas has been joining him more and more when the panic sets in, and he’s eternally grateful for it.

 

“Cause it’s how I work, Cas.”

 

Cas rolls his eyes, but Dean can see the hint of a smile on his face. “I’m well aware. It’s infuriating.”

 

Dean laughs quietly and rubs his face as he sits up. “Yeah, well.”

 

“I meant what I said, Dean. We _will_ find Gabriel.”

 

Dean smiles softly, just barely biting back a sigh of disappointment when Cas’s hand leaves his back. “I know we will. I’m sorry about what I said. I’m glad I came back, I’m just… frustrated.”

 

“And you think Sam and I aren’t? I assure you, we’re just as frustrated as you are. It seems that no matter how many wins we bring home, they’re always overshadowed by losses.”

 

Another knock on his door abruptly halts their conversation, and Dean barely gets out a _yeah, come in_ before Sam’s shoving the door open with a worried look on his face.

 

“Dean? Are you okay? You ran out of there pretty fast.”

 

He offers his little brother a reassuring smile and nods. “I’m good. Just frustrated. Needed a minute.” He glances between his brother and his angel, letting out a soft sigh. “Let’s take the night off. Watch a movie or two, have some takeout. Then we can worry about finding Gabriel tomorrow.”

 

Before Sam can get a word in, Castiel’s nodding his head in agreement and standing. “Sounds like a good idea to me. Burning ourselves out won’t help our situation.”

 

Sam glances between them and nods in agreement, knowing better than to argue.

 

So, three hours later, they’re in the Dean Cave with Sam sprawled out in one of the armchairs and Dean and Cas tucked against one end of the couch they’d picked up recently. There’s beer bottles scattered across the end tables, along with their discarded takeout containers and, despite a missing archangel and half of their family trapped in an alternate universe looming over them, Dean’s a lot more comfortable and happy than he’s been in a long time.

 

 **·     ·     ·** ✤   **·     ·     ·**

 

“Look, dude, I know you’re new to this world and everything, but I’ve lived here my entire life. I know how to get around without being noticed. So, while I appreciate your lessons in stealth, stuff it.”

 

Ketch rolls his eyes at the redhead’s outburst but falls into step beside her anyway. “I’m simply concerned about being so out in the open.”

 

Charlie rolls her eyes and trudges on through the snow. “We’re on a trail that’s completely warded, angels can’t find us here.”

 

“That isn’t entirely true.”

 

Charlie’s head whips around just as Ketch raises his gun to point it at the man standing behind them. She sees Ketch wavering beside her before he lowers his gun. “What are you _doing_?” she hisses, grabbing her own gun and pointing it at the man.

 

“I… I know him.” Ketch says, like that explains _anything_.

 

The man raises an eyebrow at them. “I can assure you that you don’t know me, we’ve never met.”

 

“Uh, well, no, you and I haven’t, but I’ve met your counterpart on my Earth. You’re Castiel. An angel.”

 

The angel tilts his head at them and Charlie finds herself lowering her gun, just a little. “Well, regardless, I’m not here to harm you.”

 

Ketch tucks his gun away and, despite all her instincts screaming at her, Charlie does the same. “By all means, angel, assist us.” Castiel squints at them and Ketch is almost sure it’s the Castiel from his Earth that jumped through the portal and found them somehow.

 

“I’m here to bring you to the nephilim and the other-worlder. Their presence threatens the resistance.” Charlie motions for him to lead the way and the two of them fall into step behind the angel.

 

After hours of walking, they reach the edge of some semblance of civilization, and Castiel leads them into the nearest building. Mary and Jack both look up at them when they walk in, and Ketch can see the shock and murderous rage in Mary’s eyes. Castiel glance between them and clears his throat. “Jack, Mary, they’re here to return you to your home.”

 

Jack frowns. “I told you, we’re not leaving here until we finish Michael. We’ve already got a plan, two more hands can help us.”

 

Castiel sighs but nods. “Fine. Tell them the plan, I’ll go prepare everything.” The angel leaves and the room is silent for a moment.

 

Ketch can still feel Mary’s gaze boring into him, so he turns to look at her. “Your sons are looking for you. Both of you. Dean was here but he returned to our world to get help. I… don’t foresee him returning, though.”

 

Mary simply rolls her eyes. “Right. Well. We’ve got a plan to get out of here. We’re going through with it tonight.”

 

Charlie settles into a chair nearby, crossing her arms over her chest. “Read us in.”

 

The plan isn’t flawless, but it’s the best they’ve got. In a few hours, Mary’s going to turn herself over to Michael’s army on the condition that she be able to speak with Michael alone. The angels will assume she’s there to disclose Jack’s location, but a hidden gun and an angel bullet will let her subdue Michael enough to steal some of his grace. Cas will fly her out of there before anyone even realizes what’s happened, and then they wait for Michael to show up. He’ll be weakened enough that Jack will be able to finish him off and they’ll be able to cross back to their world without the threat of Michael looming over them.

 

The plan goes off without a hitch and, four hours later, Michael’s burned-out vessel is lying at Jack’s feet with most of his upper command lying dead nearby, riddled with angel-killing bullets courtesy of the human army nearby.

 

Castiel opens the portal and Mary and Jack step through after their goodbyes. Charlie’s gaze falls to Ketch, who shakes his head. “I’d like to stay here, if you’ll have me. There’s nothing for me on that world, and I’ve got training, I can help you rebuild.”

 

Charlie shrugs and nods. Twenty-four hours later, the portal closes, and humanity is well on its way to rebuilding.

 

 **·     ·     ·** ✤   **·     ·     ·**

Mary and Jack land on the concrete floor of the war room, the portal flickering from beneath the stairs. They glance at each other for a moment before they turn and find three pairs of shocked eyes looking in their direction.

 

“Mom?” Sam says, quietly, like if he speaks too loudly, they’ll disappear. The bunker’s entirely silent for the space of a few minutes, and then it’s like a dam breaks. Sam pushes out of his chair so fast that it topples, and Dean and Castiel aren’t very far behind. Mary’s being swept up in a hug from both of her boys as Jack practically falls into Castiel’s arms, the relief on the nephilim’s face finally settling into his bones. She gets a hug from Castiel once her boys finally release her, and Sam pulls Jack into a hug she’s sure would crush the boy’s ribs if he was fully human.

 

Eventually, the two of them are ushered in the direction of the bathroom, with promises of clean clothes and homemade food. They settle in over the next three days, adjusting to the fact that they don’t have to be ready to fight at any moment.

 

Dean brings them a hunt two weeks after their return, and Mary turns it down easily.

 

Sam does the same, which surprises everyone. He shrugs it off. “I’m done hunting. I only really kept going because of everything that was going on, but now that we’re all safe…” He turns his gaze to Dean. “I was thinking of opening up the bunker. Turning it into a functioning hunter’s headquarters, like it should be. We’ve got a ton of lore here, a ton of rooms, and we’re right in the center of the U.S. It’s a perfect location for a headquarters.”

 

Much to everyone’s surprise, Dean smiles easily and nods. “Sounds like a plan to me. You’ve always been more interested in Bobby’s side of hunting, anyways.” That brings a smile to Sam’s face, and with that, Dean and Castiel leave for the hunt and Mary finds herself helping to clean out the bedrooms in the bunker.

 

It’s still not perfect, but she’s got a home with her boys, and she’s more than ready to embrace her second chance.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr [here(:](https://fangirlingtodeath513.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Please don’t post my works anywhere without my express written permission.


End file.
